Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Volunteers Serve Amid SCU Fires

TRI-VALLEY, CA — When the SCU Lightning Complex Fires sparked in the area of Sunol, the public needed information to keep themselves safe. And early on, Tri-Valley volunteers were ready to step up.

The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team worked 20 phone lines, handing more than 500 calls per hour, LPFD said in a news release.

CERT teams in Tri-Valley and elsewhere are called upon in an emergency. Though they're volunteers, they are trained to help respond when disaster strikes.

“CERT is about ‘neighbors helping neighbors’ whether they are next door or on the other end of a phone line,” said Tracy Hein, LPFD emergency preparedness manager, in a written statement.

As calls spiked, other Bay Area CERT volunteers were ready to help, too.

But sometimes, even the helpers need some help. When the going got ruff, comfort dogs stopped by to lend some love.

Now that's a dog-gone nice gesture for some hardworking volunteers.